Mrs. Jeffries and the Alms of the Angel

At the start of Brightwell’s diverting 38th Victorian mystery (after Mrs. Jeffries Delivers the Goods), a killer lures Margaret Starling, a wealthy widow known for her kindness and charitable acts with the Angel Alms Society, into the back garden of her London house. There he whacks Mrs. Starling over the head with a shovel. When Insp. Gerald Witherspoon, who has “solved more murders than anyone in the history of the Metropolitan Police,” is called in, his housekeeper, Mrs. Jeffries, and her sleuthing group of house staff and servants fan out across London in search of clues, unbeknownst to him. No one can imagine why anyone would want to harm Mrs. Starling, until Mrs. Jeffries and crew learn of her erratic behavior and her loud arguments with the local vicar, who’s hiding a nasty secret. Meanwhile, Insp. Nigel Nivens of Scotland Yard, who’s jealous of Witherspoon’s success, tries to sabotage the investigation. Brightwell takes the reader back to a more simple time and place. Fans of light historicals will find plenty to like. Agent: Donald Maass, Donald Maass Literary. (Sept.)